Systems and Methods for Operating a Computerized Trade Finance Network

ABSTRACT

This invention concerns forfeiting transactions. In particular it concerns methods of operating a computerized forfeiting exchange to develop forfeiting transactions. In another aspect it concerns a computerized forfeiting exchange. The exchange allows the parties to screen counter party types and asset types, to make the transactions more efficient. It also able to provide assistance in ensuring appropriate documentation is used and is properly completed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention concerns forfaiting transactions. In particular it concerns methods of operating a computerised forfaiting exchange to develop forfaiting transactions. In another aspect it concerns a computerised forfaiting exchange.

BACKGROUND ART

Forfaiting transactions are complex and not well understood, they are easily confused with other, similar, transactions. The knowledge of how to conduct these transactions is held by few individuals within a small number of financial institutions, and as a result it is not widely available.

Forfaiting specifically addresses cross boarder trade and was designed to facilitate the export of goods to emerging markets and OECD markets. It involves an exporter that wishes to ship goods and an importer that wishes to receive them. The exporter agrees to deferred payment terms, and the importer arranges a deferred payment (aka ‘usance’ in Asia) letter of credit with a local issuing bank. The letter of credit will expire unless the goods are delivered by its expiry date. If the goods are delivered the letter of credit may be cashed at its maturity date. The local issuing bank seeks payment from the importer.

After delivery, provided the shipping documents are accepted as in compliance with the terms of the letter of credit, and the obligation to pay is accepted or issued by the L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank, then the exporter has a negotiable instrument that is a trade receivable in the form of a draft, promissory note or other form of documenting a payment obligation which can be held by the exporter until maturity or can be discounted prior to maturity.

An exporter that seeks payment prior to the maturity of the obligation, may sell the obligation say, to a bank or other purchaser or investor, for its net present value. The sale is ‘without recourse’ which means that the new owner does not look to the exporter or any subsequent holder or seller for payment in the case of default, but rather to the L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank as obligor or guarantor, and to the primary purchaser as the party is responsible for having done enough due diligence to ascertain if the obligation is or is not fraudulent. Since the beneficiary of the letter of credit is the exporter, the ownership of the payment obligation must be transferred properly. This usually includes the execution of an acceptance or acknowledgment of the assignment of the underlying obligation by the L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank or other form of obligor (usually the initial guarantor), the exporter and the new purchaser/holder/owner. The new purchaser/holder/owner can subsequently sell the instrument again, and this may create for them an opportunity to generate profit often via an arbitrage based on geographic or other market differences in perspective.

The negotiable instrument is the draft or other form documenting the payment obligation and supported by the L/C or original guarantee—not the L/C itself.

The exporter may put the entire export transaction in the hands of its bank and merely receive an agreed payment upon shipment or delivery of the goods, as called for in the L/C or terms of sale contract. A negotiable instrument arises as a result of the export/import transaction (but only after the goods have been delivered, the documents have been accepted by the L/C issuing bank as incompliance with the terms of L/C, and the acceptance or issuance of the pay obligation by the L/C issuing bank) in the hands of the exporter (unless otherwise specified by the terms of L/C), and is usually held by the exporter's negotiating bank, in compliance with the terms of the L/C or other form of guarantee, issuance or acceptance by the obligor (guarantor) and under authorization by the exporter (unless nominated otherwise in the L/C), and is sold ‘without recourse’ to the exporter. Care has to be taken to execute the appropriate documents to ensure the exporter and, as the case may be, exporter's bank have a viable negotiating instrument and a viable transfer of ownership of this receivable (obligation). The subsequent forfaiting transactions do not involve the exporter and generally may be carried on without the exporter having any knowledge of them.

This process has a number of benefits for both exporters and importers. For the exporter, it can grant credit (deferred payment terms) to foreign buyers without typing up cash flow or assuming all the risks of possible late payment or default. The exporter may also in this way protect against interest and currency rate movements during the credit period.

The importer deals only with its local bank. That bank is best positioned of any to assess the importer's credit risk and extract payment.

A ‘forfaiting transaction’ is defined, in this patent, to mean the transfer of ownership of a payment obligation (asset) in which the buyer forgoes any right of recourse to the exporter and subsequent holder or seller in the event that the obligor: is unable to meet the payments required by the obligation (except in the case of fraud), where the payment obligation arises directly from a bank guarantee in any form given in the course of an export transaction and thereby resulting in a cross border trade receivable.

Of course, fraud may negate the subsequent transactions.

An example of a forfaiting transaction is as follows:

A letter of credit USD 1,000,000 is purchased at an interest rate of 8% p.a. for the deferred payment period of 360 days and that interest is discounted from the face at the time of purchase at a straight discount. The purchaser (possibly a forfaiter) pays USD 920,000 for the debt obligation and later sells it at 7% p.a. interest for duration of the deferred payment period, receiving USD 930,000. The intention of this transaction is to maximize the use of funds and generate revenue. USD 1,000,000 turned 40 times in a period of one year, assuming the same margins, could generate USD 400,000 in revenue. A counter party engaging in a forfaiting operation views this as a better value proposition rather than utilizing its capital to book assets on its balance sheet. If one were to assume the cost of funds of a traditional lender at 3% p.a. and the interest charged 8% p.a, this same transaction would generate USD 50,000 in revenue.

It is appreciated that forfaiting transactions can take place in connection with other credit enhancement products and or instruments as well as obligations supported by letters of credit. For instance, bills of exchange, drafts drawn under deferred payment (usance) letters of credit, Deferred payment claims with other forms of financial guarantees, drafts or promissory notes that are avalized, drafts and promissory notes with international ‘creditability’ that are naked, and any of these sometimes together with another form of credit enhancement—that is of course provided the payment obligation results directly from an export transaction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention is a method of operating a computerised forfaiting exchange to develop forfaiting transactions (as defined) for settlement, comprising the following steps:

Providing a web site accessible via the Internet to sellers and buyers using computers.

Providing a counter party selection document on request to a seller or buyer to view at the web site, where the document contains a list of classes of counter parties together with counter party selection entry facilities.

Permitting a seller to identify classes of buyers with whom they will, or will not, develop a forfaiting transaction, by entering selections on the counter party selection document using the counter party selection entry facilities.

Providing an offer document on request to a seller to view at the web site, where the offer document contains the following items:

-   -   a list of classes of asset together with asset selection entry         facilities and asset information entry facilities for entry of         details of the asset;     -   a list of terms for the offer together with offer selection         entry facilities and information entry facilities for entry of         details of the offer;     -   a list of offer documents to accompany the offer together with         offer document selection entry facilities and offer document         attachment facilities for attaching copies of offer documents;     -   a list of undertakings for the seller to make together with         undertaking selection entry facilities and undertaking document         attachment facilities for attaching copies of undertaking         documents.

Permitting the seller to create an instance of the offer document, by:

-   -   identifying the asset to be offered by using the asset selection         entry facilities and asset information entry facilities;     -   identifying the terms for the offer by using the offer selection         entry facilities and offer information entry facilities;     -   identifying the offer documents to accompany the offer by using         the offer document selection entry facilities and offer document         attachment facilities; identifying the undertakings to be made         by using the undertaking selection entry facilities and         undertaking document attachment facilities.

Permitting the seller to submit an instance of the offer document, so that it becomes available to view by potential buyers from only the classes of buyers identified as being those whom the seller will develop the transaction.

Providing a counter offer document on request to a buyer after they have viewed an offer document, where the counter offer document contains counter offer selection and counter offer information entry facilities for entry of variations to an offer document instance;

Permitting the buyer to create an instance of the counter offer document by entering selections and information using the counter offer selection and information entry facilities, and to submit the counter offer instance, so that it becomes available to the seller;

Providing a counter offer document on request to any party after they have viewed an instance of a counter offer document, where the counter offer document contains counter offer selection and information entry facilities for entry of variations;

Permitting the party to create an instance of the counter offer document by entering selections and information using the counter offer selection and information entry facilities, and to submit the counter offer instance, so that it becomes available to the counter party;

Repeating the last two steps.

Use of the exchange enables the transactions to become accessible and reliable. The independent nature of the exchange creates a trusted medium for developing the transactions for settlement. The exchange provides a step by step process by which the transactions are developed. It may require all the necessary documents to be completed before the next step can be taken, and it may guide the process to the extent of identifying mistakes and even offering corrections. The transaction may continue until all terms are matched. Settlement may then take place at the exchange or by any other suitable means. Where a complete match is not achieved, settlement may still be achieved, say by further off-line negotiation.

The document available at the web site may contain electronic links to independent sources of financial information, this enables the parties to conveniently check financial information such as rates and the standing of the obligor without having to exit the exchange.

Links may also be provided to standardized forms of documents, such as asset defining documents used to support instances of the offer document. This enables the parties to check whether any document offered complies with the standard, and to determine any differences. The differences may be automatically flagged. It also gives the party the option of using the standard documentation, which may ease the subsequent transaction.

Similarly, there may be links to standardized forms of undertaking documents. This access to standard forms and documents provides the user with a reliable way of understanding and testing the transactions.

The exchange may also provide on-line assistance in completing the process, as well as access to expertise and other sources of advice.

The exchange could operate to make forfaiting transactions available to local banks, reducing its cost and increasing the volume of forfaiting transactions.

An asset screening document may also be provided for use by potential buyers to select the types of asset they wish to view, and not view. In this way a potential buyer will only see assets that a seller wants to sell to buyers of their class, and which are of the selected types. This renders the initiation of transactions more efficient.

In a second aspect, the invention is a computerised forfaiting exchange, comprising:

A web site accessible via the Internet to sellers and buyers using computers.

A database associated with the web site and storing:

a counter party selection document, where the document contains a list of classes of counter parties together with counter party selection entry facilities;

an offer document, where the offer document contains the following items:

-   -   a list of classes of asset together with asset selection entry         facilities and asset information entry facilities for entry of         details of the asset,     -   a list of terms for the offer together with offer selection         entry facilities and offer information entry facilities for         entry of details of the offer,     -   a list of offer documents to accompany the offer together with         offer document selection entry facilities and offer document         attachment facilities for attaching copies of offer documents,     -   a list of undertakings for the seller to make together with         undertaking selection entry facilities and undertaking document         attachment facilities for attaching copies of undertaking         documents;

a counter offer document containing counter offer selection and information entry facilities.

A processor associated with the web site and the database and operable to retrieve a document from the database to view at the web site.

The processor being further operable on request either to permit the entry of selections and information to create instances of documents on-line.

The processor being further operable to permit viewing of instances of offer documents by potential buyers, depending upon the selections and entries made by the seller in counter party selection document.

Alternatively the processor being operable on request to print an offer document for use off-line.

In a third aspect, the invention is another method of operating a computerised forfaiting exchange to facilitate a forfaiting transaction, comprising the steps of:

Providing an offer document on request to a seller to view at the web site, where the offer document contains the following items:

-   -   a list of classes of asset together with asset selection entry         facilities and asset information entry facilities for entry of         details of the asset,     -   a link to an independent source of financial information,     -   a list of terms for the offer together with offer selection         entry facilities and information entry facilities for entry of         details of the offer,     -   a list of offer documents to accompany the offer together with         offer document selection entry facilities and offer document         attachment facilities for attaching copies of offer documents,     -   links to standardized forms of offer documents, a list of         undertakings for the seller to make together with undertaking         selection entry facilities and undertaking document attachment         facilities for attaching copies of undertaking documents,     -   links to standardized forms of undertaking documents.

Permitting the seller to download the offer document.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An example of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a web site map.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of the underlying parties and the business flows that precede a forfaiting transaction executed via the software on (or and) the website using the ‘primary platform’ according to the invention. The portion that is addressed on the web site is encircled for clarification sake.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart of the business flows on the primary platform.

FIG. 4 is a diagram of the underlying parties and the business flows that precede a forfaiting transaction executed via the network using the software on (or and) the ‘secondary platform’ according to the invention. The portion that is addressed on the web site is encircled for clarification sake.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart of the business flows on the secondary platform.

BEST MODES OF THE INVENTION

Referring first to FIG. 1 the computerised forfaiting exchange comprises a web site having site map 10 illustrated in FIG. 1. This site map is accessible by both bankers and other investors, and provides gateways into a primary platform 11 and a secondary platform 12.

The primary platform is designed to facilitate the development of transactions: the sale of receivables held by the exporter 21 to a third party purchaser 23 that is not the exporters negotiating bank 26. The transaction is between and exporter 21, a third party purchaser 23, and the negotiating bank 26; as illustrated in FIG. 2.

All of the following precedes the ‘forfaiting’ transaction (the sale/transfer of ownership of the receivable/payment obligation without recourse to the exporter/the beneficiary):

The exporter 21 has signed a sale/purchase agreement with the importer 22 for goods to be imported.

The importer's bank 24 opens the deferred payment letter of credit in favour of the exporter 21. The letter of credit is sent to the exporter's advising bank 25. The advising bank 25 advises the exporter that the letter of credit has been opened.

The exporter then delivers the goods to the importer and presents all the necessary shipping documents for draw down of the letter of credit to its negotiating bank 26, which in turn forwards them to the importer's bank 24 for acceptance (unless otherwise instruct under the terms of the L/C).

The (importer's) L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank 24 accepts the shipping documents as in compliance with the terms of the letter of credit and the negotiating bank 26 draws (sends) a draft(s)/bill(s) of exchange on (to) the importer's bank 24. In this transaction example, the exporter is the beneficiary of the draft(s). Upon the (importer's) L/C issuing bank's 24 acceptance of the draft(s) a negotiable instrument is born. This occurs in one of two alternative executions: 1) the hard copy of the draft on which the exporter is the beneficiary is accepted by the L/C ‘opening’ (issuing) bank and for good practice is sent back to the exporter's negotiating bank which is legally authorized by the exporter to receive it on its behalf. The payment obligation (asset) has thereby been created; 2) the L/C opening bank sends a tested telex or SWIFT message, in lieu of original draft(s)/bill(s) of exchange, to the negotiating bank stating that the L/C ‘opening’ (issuing) bank accepts the draft(s) (bill(s) of exchange). If In accordance with best practice this telex fully states the payment obligation undertaken in the hard copy of draft(s) or bill(s) of exchange and thereby confirms the amount(s) due on day/month/year date(s), that the bank will under no circumstances release the bill(s) of exchange to any other party, person or institution other than exporter and/or its assignee(s) and undertakes to pay upon presentation in effective currency at maturity the referenced amount(s), without any deductions whatsoever, to the exporter and/or its assignee(s).

The negotiating bank 26 informs the exporter that it (the exporter) has received the bona fide claim-payment obligation. It is at this point that in this example the forfaiting transaction (the sale/transfer of ownership of the receivable/payment obligation without recourse to the exporter/the beneficiary) commences its execution via the website. Although the bank would have most likely consulted the software and platform for documentation forms and assistance in preparing the underlying documents to be authorized and or signed by the exporter prior to this point in time and in preparation for this point in time. The bank informs the exporter that it has a bona fide claim, transmitting all the details of that claim/payment obligation, asks if the exporter would like to authorize the bank to initiate a sale of the receivable (transfer of the payment obligation) on Global Trade Finance Network's primary platform and if so at what price or price range, terms and provide a forfaiting contract between the bank and the exporter online for their signature and includes all the forms and authorizations necessary for the bank to execute such a transaction on behalf of the exporter. This can be executed using the software down loaded in hard copy, or online for an offline close or a completely digital execution.

The exporter then appoints its negotiatiating bank 26 to negotiate the sale of the asset and the negotiating bank goes out to find a third party purchaser 23 via the website.

In this example the exporter without recourse to itself endorses the draft to a third party purchaser 23, assigns the rights under the deferred payment letter of credit and commercial invoice(s) to a third party purchaser, notifies the negotiating bank and the L/C ‘opening’ bank of its assignment. There is an option to complete these documents in blank (without the name of the third party purchaser) to be held in trust and under specific instructions (or not) by the exporter's negotiating bank.

The negotiating bank is now in a position to seek a third party purchaser and seeks to find a match for the terms and documents which may be negotiated or not via the website distribution/exchange system.

In the event the terms of the transaction are all agreed between the negotiating bank as agent for the exporter, the exporter and the buyer. The negotiating bank 26, acting as agent on behalf of the exporter acknowledges to the third party purchaser that they have been informed of the assignment. The third party purchaser reserves the right to request the negotiating bank to notify the importer's LIC ‘opening’ bank 24 of the assignment of the claim. In this case the negotiating bank does this. The importer's L/C ‘opening’ bank 24 then acknowledges their acceptance of the assignment and their obligation to pay irrevocably and directly to the third party purchaser 23 or according to their instructions. Generic documents acknowledging the sale/transfer of ownership and obligation(s) to pay are executed online or viewed online and executed offline and then the counter parties will have the choice to close offline or online via a digital execution of the same. The counter parties will be able to choose 1) digital or non digital escrow services, warehouse services or neither, and 2) offline hard copy close or online digital closing. In this transaction example the offline option has been chosen prior to commencing the transaction, all the hard copy original and conformed copy documents are forwarded to the buyer, an escrow agent or warehouse facility for hard copy review and acceptance.

Settlement then takes place between the exporter 21 and the third party purchaser 23 via the negotiating bank 26. Upon presentation, verification and acceptance of all the documents, the third party purchaser 23 wires the funds to the negotiating bank 26 for the account of the exporter.

Upon maturity of the deferred payment letter of credit, the third party purchaser 23 (provided it has held the receivable until maturity) receives the payment directly from the importer's bank 24 or wired via the negotiating bank depending on the agreed upon terms. Of course if the third party purchaser(s) subsequently sell(s) the asset, payment is made to the current holder/owner of the asset provided a bona fide transfer has been executed and or the L/C issuing bank accepts the transfer as such.

The primary platform 11 of the forfaiting exchange 10 facilitates this transaction by providing a number of online, interactive, multi-lingual ‘smart’ documents and ‘smart’ guided processes for completing and submitting the documents either in hard copy or digitally for a hard copy or digital close. The primary platform also aggregates and provides access to information and links, such as financial information feeds like Reuters and the latest LIBOR rates. There is also access to risk management information, local, regional and international trade finance news feeds, specialty bulletin board, ratings, Uniform Code of Practice (UCP 500), indicative rates and any software solutions tools. These live links provide up to the minute global information, guided and selective searches, and improved risk and risk management. Multilingual administrative expertise (vocal and digital) is provided on specific transactions on a ‘pay per use’ facility (packages of time can also be purchased in advance). Administrative expertise is provided on generic documents free of charge. Information is also provided about procedures for primary and secondary financing and underlying transaction structures. All of this multilingual expertise & support critical to the transaction process and distribution is provided twenty four hours online or via telephone. At the outset of the aforementioned transaction the bank 26 informs the exporter that they have a bona fide claim.

In this case the advising and negotiating bank is the Singapore Bank Limited and it advises its client, the exporter's Singapore Technologies Engineering Limited (STEL) by filling in the relevant details in entry boxes of the document that follows:

The completed instance of this document is then transmitted to STEL for its records, together with the following document which STEL is invited to complete to authorize the Singapore Bank Ltd. to seek a third party purchaser on its behalf and to commence the sale of the receivable without recourse to the exporter (a forfaiting transaction).

STEL is invited to indicate, by clicking the radio button below the first paragraph, whether it wishes to initiate the transaction, and if so, to complete the remainder of the documents:

STEL completes the following document to instruct and authorize the bank to seek a buyer under the terms specified (In actuality much of this information has already been completed by the bank that has it on record and the exporter is thereby then in that case the authorized party re-stating it), and contracts with the bank for these services.

When STEL is satisfied with the submission they are able to submit it by clicking the “submit” button. They could also choose to submit all the documents by fax or in hard copy. This completes the offer indicated at 31 on FIG. 3.

The Singapore Bank Ltd 25/26 will be registered on the primary trading platform in order to access its services and will have an identifier and password to enable them to access the platform. Each transaction they enter will have a random alphanumeric code assigned to it. The bank receives the offer, adjusts the offer, or not as the customer relationship management may dictate and/or each case may be and submits it to the primary trading platform 32.

Here the offer will specify the following matters:

The classes of buyers to whom they are prepared to sell, and the classes of buyers to whom they are not prepared to sell.

The class of asset together with full details of the asset.

The terms for the offer, which have been set by the exporter, unless the exporter authorizes the bank to do so on its behalf.

Documents which will accompany the offer. These documents are standard and generic provided by the exchange network and sanitized as necessary by the negotiating bank upon submission to the primary platform, for instance to remove the exporter's identity. The exchange is dynamic in this respect. The bank can also consult experts (vocal or digital or both) provided by the exchange/network for advice on administrative, preparation and submission matters. And,

Undertakings the bank may be prepared to make in support of the offer. Undertakings the exporter is prepared to make to support the offer, but the bank may customize the undertakings by the exporter with the agreement of the exporter, the bank may request signature(s) on documents that leave the purchaser's name in blank before offering the receivable for sale on the primary platform. Note—the bank is not required to produce the exporters permission or agreement for the bank to load margins or add fees, etc. that is left to the bank and its relationship with its exporter.

At this point, the negotiating bank acting as agent for the exporter offers the transaction on the platform to potential buyers; this is indicated at 32 on FIG. 3. A potential buyer may view the offering(s) for sale, only viewing qualified assets according to the indications that they have preselected; as shown at 33 on FIG. 3. Should they choose to purchase 34, they are then presented with a guided submission to complete and return 35.

The negotiating bank will be able to view any counter offers subsequently received, 36 and if the negotiating bank so chooses, may make them visible to the exporter, before and/or after loading pricing and adding fees. The negotiating bank controls the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) features. In the ‘View counter offers summary window’ example shown below there are four counter offers received. In the first counter offer #1, the buyer known as “juyh8”, has indicated that they wish to negotiate price and terms, but not terms and conditions. They wish particularly to buy draft No 1 for a particular price. In offer #2 the buyer wishes to buy two of the drafts. In offer #3 the buyer desires a different discount equation, straight discount in alternative to discount to yield. All industry words are explained upon a “click”. In offer #4 the buyer wishes to buy four of the drafts.

Depending on the terms of the CRM offered and agreed between the negotiating bank and its customer, the negotiating bank, or the exporter, may choose to accept a counteroffer, or to continue negotiation on any or all of the offers by returning further counteroffer documents, 37. The buyers can also choose to negotiate by returning counter offer documents, 38. When full agreement is reached, payment terms are agreed and accepted by both parties, 39.

Alternatively, if full agreement is not reached in through this match negotiate format and process the parties may enter the negotiating room 40 in order to negotiate. This might happen for instance, where there is a subject requiring negotiation that does not fit the structure described above. The negotiation continues to use the alphanumeric identifiers to maintain anonymity.

It should be appreciated that both the exporter 21 and the buyer 23 take part in the process anonymously until sufficient or all terms have been agreed for them to settle the negotiation. It should also be appreciated that the information they provide to each other is controlled by the offering institution excluding obligatory fields. Guidance is given and documents proposed via the online documents. At many places during the negotiations the forms provide links to obtain latest news and credit information as well as credit enhancement and software support tools that assist in developing the transaction.

The secondary trading platform 12 is provided for a slightly different transaction, that is the sale by the first (primary) purchaser of the exporter's receivable to a second purchaser 27. Subsequent sales require minor variation of the following. Nevertheless it enable the primary purchaser to revisit, amend and or enhance its underlying documentation with the exporter in order to utilize best practice documentation and procedures. Alternatively standard documentation and procedure can be engaged from the outset by the bank to execute the purchase form the exporter.

All of the following precede this second (secondary) ‘forfaiting’ transaction (the sale/transfer of ownership of the receivable/payment obligation without recourse to the exporter/the beneficiary and subsequent holders (owners).

The exporter 21 has signed a sale/purchase agreement with the importer 22 for goods to be imported. The importer's L/C opening’ bank 24 opens the deferred payment letter of credit in favour of the exporter 21. The letter of credit is sent to the exporter's advising bank 25. The advising bank 25 advises the exporter that the letter of credit has been opened. The exporter then delivers the goods to the importer and presents all the necessary shipping documents for draw down of the letter of credit to its negotiating hank 26, which in turn forwards the to the importer's L/C ‘opening’ bank for acceptance.

The (importer's) L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank 24 accepts the shipping documents as in compliance with the terms of the letter of credit and the negotiating bank 26 forwards on behalf of the exporter the draft(s)/bill(s) of exchange that the exporter has drawn to the importer's bank 24. In this transaction example, the exporter is the beneficiary of the draft(s). Upon the (importer's) L/C issuing bank's 24 acceptance of the draft(s) a negotiable instrument is born. This occurs in one of two alternative executions: 1) the hard copy of the draft on which the exporter is the beneficiary is accepted by the L/C opening’ (issuing) bank is sent back to the exporter's negotiating bank which is legally authorized by the exporter to receive it on its behalf, the payment obligation (asset) has thereby been created; 2) the L/C opening’ bank sends a tested telex or SWIFT message, in lieu of original draft(s)/bill(s) of exchange, to the negotiating bank stating that the L/C ‘opening’ (issuing) bank has accepted the draft(s) (bill(s) of exchange). In accordance with best practice this draft(s) or bill(s) of exchange fully states the payment obligation undertaken by the hard copy draft and thereby confirms the amount(s) due on day/month/year date(s), that the bank will under no circumstances release the bill(s) of exchange to any other party, person or institution other than exporter and/or its assignee(s) and undertakes to pay upon presentation in effective currency at maturity the referenced amount(s), without any deductions whatsoever, to the exporter and/or its assignee(s).

The negotiating bank 26 informs the exporter that it, the exporter, has received the bona fide claim-payment obligation.

In this example the forfaiting transaction (the sale/transfer of ownership of the receivable/payment obligation-without recourse to the exporter/the beneficiary) is executed between the exporter and its negotiating bank which is also the first (primary) purchaser. This may be executed with the website or not. The negotiating bank also first purchaser (primary purchaser) informs the exporter that it has a bona fide claim.

Since the beneficiary of the letter of credit is the exporter, the ownership of the payment obligation must be transferred properly to the first (primary) purchaser that in this example is also the negotiating bank, and this transfer usually includes the execution of an acceptance of the assignment of the underlying obligation by the L/C issuing ‘opening’ bank or other form(s) of obligation (usually the initial guarantor), the exporter and the new purchaser/holder/owner. And an acknowledgment of the assignment of the underlying obligation to the new purchaser/holder/owner by the LC ‘opening’ bank and negotiating banks.

In this example transaction, the exporter has already agreed to sell this payment obligation to its negotiating bank which becomes the first purchaser (aka primary purchaser). The draft has been endorsed ‘without recourse’ to the exporter and the exporter assigns its rights under the letter of credit to the first purchaser (in this example the first purchaser, advising and negotiating bank are the same). Upon the completion of all the required assignments, acknowledgments, and draft(s) endorsement(s). The first purchaser (formerly the negotiating bank) pays the exporter the discounted proceeds.

The negotiating bank, now the first purchaser has thereby purchased the payment obligation and takes assignment of the rights under the letter of credit and commercial invoice. The bank may hold the asset or decide to sell it onward immediately. In any case, in this transaction example which commences at this point between the first purchase and second sale transactions, the first purchaser, formerly the negotiating bank seeks a second purchaser or secondary purchaser. The information requested on the transaction is managed in three sections: 1) Documentation on the underlying export import transaction, 2) Documentation obtained by the first purchaser on the transfer of ownership from the exporter to the first purchaser, 3) Documentation the second seller is able and/or willing to provide to the second purchaser. When a secondary purchaser is found and the terms confirmed, the first purchaser ‘without recourse’ to itself endorses the draft to the second purchaser. The first purchaser assigns all the rights it has obtained from ‘the exporter’s assignment under the letter of credit to the second purchaser 27 and obtains and issues all the required acknowledgments.

The second purchaser 27 wires funds to the first purchaser 26 (formerly the negotiating bank).

Upon maturity of the deferred payment letter of credit, provided the second purchaser holds the asset until such time, the second purchaser presents the draft to the L/C issuing (opening) bank 24 for payment and receives payment directly from the L/C ‘opening’ bank unless payment has been routed otherwise as per items 15(a)(b) and (c) below.

The platform software guides the first (primary) purchaser (formerly the negotiating bank) through the proper orderly preparation of conformed copies of the documents representing the underlying trade transaction, the transfer of ownership from the exporter to the first purchaser using good practice process and procedures, and the onward sale of the asset to a second purchaser, and provides guidance and process for all the endorsement(s) and assignment(s) made by the exporter to the first purchaser and acknowledgment(s) by and other documents from the negotiating bank and others (as the case may call for). The platform (software) provides the same for the sale from the first purchaser to the second purchaser.

On the secondary platform the seller must be a holder/owner of the asset and not the original beneficiary (the exporter) which is why it is called the secondary platform. The first purchaser/holder (and second seller) is usually but not necessarily a commercial bank such as the exporter's negotiating bank, or a third party bank, forfaiting company or finance company.

A sale(s)/purchase(s) ‘matched’ on the secondary platform can be executed with (sold to) banks, non-bank financial institutions, non-financial institutions and packagers.

On the secondary platform the selling institution will select counter parties by filling in the following form. The buyer fills in a corresponding form to select the sellers from whom it is willing to buy (and/or those from whom it is not willing to buy). This is optionally executed at two levels first for overall, policy level broad criteria and second for the specific asset(s) to be sold.

The anonymous seller then completes an “Asset Offer Guided Submission” as indicated at 51 on FIG. 5. This involves providing details about themselves, details about the broad criteria for the transaction, the asset, the terms of the offer, the documentation and the undertakings to be made. All of this information is available only to platform members for security and avoidance of fraud, some fields are optional, some obligatory come confidential only for the platform's databank for security and avoidance of fraud.

Once the seller has completed the document to its satisfaction it submits it by clicking the ‘submit offer’ button. The offering will then be allocated an alphanumeric code to assure the seller's anonymity, “‘Harvy 3” in this case, and will be displayed 52 along with other offerings on the platform.

Prospective buyers are able to view 53 all suitable offerings that are available (according to criteria previously set by sellers). These criteria may be dynamically adjusted for instance as: its credit line availability changes.

There is also an option to remove all viewing criteria and view all other transactions for which the viewer qualifies as per seller instructions and to then auto-reinstate the criteria. Upon viewing all suitable offerings available to the buyer(s), the buyer can select those transactions of interest for further consideration, mark and file them in the buyer/user's management system (provided by the platform) for various categories, status and priorities, as the transaction progresses or matures the transaction moves or is moved from file to file, status and priority.

For instance a buyer will see only the following three transactions that matched its ‘set’ interest criteria when the criteria screening is in effect. These criteria may be dynamically adjusted for instance as its credit line availability changes.

The buyer sees a condensed form of the documents completed by the sellers since they only see the fields that have been completed by the seller. At the same time the buyer sees high level information so that the eye can scan many transactions, and drill down to see, terms details of standard documents, seller's documents, or complete offer. The buyer can flexibly move in and out of any of these documents and categories. The buyer then has the option to flag transactions and documents of interest for further consideration, one such flagged transaction as follows:

The buyer can then decide to accept the offer or negotiate the offer by making a first counter offer against the offer by filling in the following counteroffer document 55. In this counter offer document the buyer indicates that it is wants to negotiate price, terms, calculation used to arrive at the terms, documents to be provided including those not yet nominated in the offer document, content of documents to be provided and other conditions. In this transaction example the buyer is willing to purchase three out of the four drafts on the conditions shown.

The buyer has the flexibility to indicate whether he ‘requests’ or ‘requires’ documents and to obtain answers that ‘commit’, refuse” or indicate ‘best efforts’ as the case may be, emulating the flexibility of a voice negotiation. When the counteroffer is completed to the buyer's satisfaction, the buyer submits it, by clicking the ‘Submit Counteroffer’ button, and the counter offer is subsequently received by the seller 56.

Document Under Legal Counsel Review

The seller then makes a second offer 57 in response to the buyer's first counter offer by filling in another counteroffer document. In this document the seller offers to sell two out of the four drafts, changes the terms, changes the calculations used to arrive at the terms, offers some revised documents and offers some new documents required by the potential purchaser in its counter offer.

When looking at the transaction(s) from the seller's view, as below, one can see at the top of the seller's second offer page the summary of other offers on this receivable that the seller has received. These other offers may include stand alone offers on the other remaining drafts and the seller may choose to sell those elsewhere, in other words to mix and match offers and counter offers in order to sell all of the drafts associated with this specific export. Multiple negotiations can be carried out simultaneously by one counter party. The system supports and assists the stripping of these assets into component parts for sale separately.

The buyer then makes a second counteroffer 58 as set out below. In this example this second offer is reflecting the terms of the seller's second offer with no deviation, so it is the buyer making a counter offer based on the seller's revised terms of offer. Nevertheless the negotiation process could have gone on for as many rounds as the counter parties would have needed to settle the terms.

Documentation Under Legal Counsel Review

The seller then accepts the terms in the second counteroffer 58, and confirms the sale 59 on the following document:

Then the buyer confirms the sale 60 with the following document:

The parties then agree to the terms of the sale subject to verification of hard copy documents being in accordance with the scanned or faxed documents and authenticity accepted.

After confirmation of payment obligations the system discloses the counter parties identities to each other on the following identity disclosure document:

After disclosure of the identities the counter parties can choose options for escrow services and/or warehouse services. Although the invention has been described with reference to one particular transaction structure and by way of one example, it should be appreciated that it may be implemented for many trade (debt) receivable transaction structures and in many other ways.

Although the counter parties may trade anonymously extensive information can be known about each counter party by the other, particularly financial information such as credit ratings, amount of capital may be made available via the exchange

It will be appreciated by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the invention as shown in the specific embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive. 

1-10. (canceled)
 11. A method for operating a computerized trade finance system, comprising: electronically providing access to the computerized trade finance system to sellers and buyers; generating, in response to input from an seller, an electronic listing that includes the following items related to a trade finance transaction offered by the seller: i. information identifying details on at least one payment obligation related to an underlying export/import transaction; ii. offer information identifying the terms of the offer from the seller, wherein the offer information includes terms related to the transfer of ownership of the payment obligation; and iii. information identifying a set of documents to accompany the offer from the seller; communicating, through the computerized trade finance system, the electronic listing so that the listing and all related offer information are available to potential buyers; and creating, in response to input from a qualified buyer, an instance of a sale/purchase match of the trade finance transaction, wherein the identity of the seller and buyer remain anonymous until the sale/purchase match is created.
 12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising creating an instance of an offer document from the seller for the trade finance transaction, and providing an electronic counter offer document, on request to the buyer, after the buyer has reviewed the instance of the offer document, wherein the counter offer document contains counter offer selection and counter offer information entry facilities for entry of variations.
 13. The method of claim 11, further comprising creating an instance of an offer document from the seller for the trade finance transaction, wherein the seller is required to complete obligatory fields of the offer document before the instance of the offer document is submitted by the seller.
 14. The method of claim 13, wherein the payment obligation relates to at least one of: a draft of exchange; a bill of exchange; a site letter of credit requiring confirmation; a down payment on an export credit agency transaction with at least one of a draft, a promissory note, a credit enhancement, a letter of credit, and an aval; a naked deffered payment claim comprising at least one of the draft and the promissory note; a deferred payment letter of credit; and a deferred payment with financial guarantee comprising at least one of an avalized draft, an avalized promissory note, a draft with bank guarantee, and a promissory note with bank guarantee, wherein the obligatory fields comprise information about all individual components of the payment obligation.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein the information for the obligatory fields comprises information specifying at least one of an issuing bank, a bank branch, a non-bank institution, a bank representative office, a bank subsidiary, a non-bank institution, a non-bank financial institution, an amount, a currency, at least one tenor, and information on instrument and form of the payment obligation.
 16. The method of claim 11, wherein the information identifying the terms of the offer comprise information specifying a type of calculation and an interest rate.
 17. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing attachment facilities for attaching electronic copies of the set of documents that accompany the offer from the seller.
 18. The method of claim 11, further comprising the steps of: creating an instance of an offer document from the seller for the trade finance transaction; submitting the instance of the offer document without revealing the identity of the seller to the buyer; and providing, to the buyer, information identifying the seller after there is an acceptance of the offer by the buyer.
 19. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of providing electronic links to independent sources of at least one of financial information, risk management information, international trade news, regional news, local news, LIBOR rates, and ratings.
 20. The method according to claim 11, further comprising the step of providing electronic links to standardized forms of documents.
 21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising the step of providing guidance to properly complete the standardized forms of documents.
 22. A computerized trade finance system for sellers and buyers, comprising: means for generating, in response to input from an seller, an electronic listing that includes the following items related to a trade finance transaction offered by the seller: i. information identifying details on at least one payment obligation related to an underlying export/import transaction; ii. offer information identifying the terms of the offer from the seller, wherein the offer information includes terms related to the transfer of ownership of the payment obligation; and iii. information identifying a set of documents to accompany the offer from the seller; means for communicating the electronic listing so that the listing and all related offer information are available to potential buyers; and means for creating, in response to input from a qualified buyer, an instance of a sale/purchase match of the trade finance transaction, wherein the identity of the seller and buyer remain anonymous until the sale/purchase match is created.
 23. The system according to claim 22, further comprising means for creating an instance of an offer document from the seller for the trade finance transaction, and means for providing an electronic counter offer document, on request to the buyer, after the buyer has reviewed the instance of the offer document, wherein the counter offer document contains counter offer selection and counter offer information entry facilities for entry of variations.
 24. The system of claim 22, further comprising means for creating an instance of an offer document from the seller for the trade finance transaction, wherein the seller is required to complete obligatory fields of the offer document before the instance of the offer document is submitted by the seller.
 25. The system of claim 24, wherein the payment obligation relates to at least one of: a draft of exchange; a bill of exchange; a site letter of credit requiring confirmation; a down payment on an export credit agency transaction with at least one of a draft, a promissory note, a credit enhancement, a letter of credit, and an aval; a naked deferred payment claim comprising at least one of the draft and the promissory note; a deferred payment letter of credit; and a deferred payment with financial guarantee comprising at least one of an avalized draft, an avalized promissory note, a draft with bank guarantee, and a promissory note with bank guarantee, wherein the obligatory fields comprise information about all individual components of the payment obligation.
 26. The system of claim 24, wherein the information for the obligatory fields comprises information specifying at least one of an issuing bank, a bank branch, a non-bank institution, a bank representative office, a bank subsidiary, a non-bank institution, a non-bank financial institution, an amount, a currency, at least one tenor, and information on instrument and form of the payment obligation.
 27. The system according to claim 22, further comprising means for providing electronic links to independent sources of at least one of financial information, risk management information, international trade news, regional news, local news, LIBOR rates, and ratings.
 28. The system according to claim 22, further comprising means for providing electronic links to standardized forms of documents. 